Capacity Building, CCIH Webinars
Helping Faith-Based Organizations Build Climate-Resilient Health Systems
Introducing the Faith-Based Climate-Health Readiness & Adaptation Assessment
By Saara Dillard
Around the world, climate change is reshaping the health landscape. As floods, heatwaves, droughts, and disease outbreaks intensify, the challenges faced by health systems have grown substantially.
We recently saw prolonged heatwaves strain hospital capacity in South Asia and flood-related cholera outbreaks disrupt care in East Africa. Operations at health facilities are often disrupted, staff and supplies are stretched thin, and communities face increasing risks to their well-being. Faith-based organizations (FBOs) play a vital role in providing health and social services, often serving as the first and most-trusted responders during crises.
In 2022, CCIH conducted a landscape analysis of faith engagement in climate and health, including a survey of its members on their climate-related health activities. This was followed by a special breakout session at the 2023 CCIH conference that explored a hypothetical flooding scenario and its effects on communities and health facilities. The survey and discussion revealed a clear interest among CCIH members to join the conversation on climate change and health.
Seven CCIH partners came together to establish CCIH’s Faith Consortium for Climate Resilient Health (Faith4CRH), which works to increase climate resilience among faith-based health partners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
To support its members, CCIH and the Faith4CRH consortium developed the Faith-Based Climate-Health Readiness & Adaptation Assessment, a practical resource to help FBOs better understand how climate change affects their work and identify areas where organizational capacity can be strengthened to build more climate-resilient health systems. This tool was prioritized as one of Faith4CRH’s initial goals outlined in its June 2024 action statement, Catalyzing a Movement to Safeguard Health in the Face of Climate Change in LMICs.
Why the Tool Was Created
The tool was developed from a shared understanding that faith actors are already doing essential work in health care, community outreach, and humanitarian response. Yet many may lack the framework or resources to assess their adaptation readiness or plan for long-term climate impacts.
Created with input from CCIH members and partners, the tool helps fulfill part of the Faith4CRH consortium’s vision: to equip faith-based health actors with practical tools for adaptation, beginning with a baseline climate risk self-assessment. The tool helps organizations take stock of their current capacity and preparedness across key areas, such as leadership, vulnerability, health service continuity, communication, community engagement, and advocacy.
A partner with the Christian Health Assistance Programme, who pre-tested the tool before its release, said, “Testing the tool was a great practical experience for our organization. The exercise provided us the opportunity to diagnose our organizational capacity related to climate mitigation and adaptation.”
How the Tool Can Help FBOs
The baseline self-assessment serves as both a starting point and a roadmap. By completing the tool, FBOs can:
- Identify strengths and gaps in their current systems and services.
- Prioritize areas that need immediate action or investment.
- Strengthen coordination with the government, the community, and other faith-based partners.
- Plan and advocate for resources to adapt to climate-related health challenges.
Ultimately, the tool encourages reflection and dialogue, helping FBOs connect their faith-driven mission with practical strategies for climate resilience and health equity.
How to Complete the Assessment
The assessment can be completed in full or one domain at a time, allowing organizations to focus on areas most relevant or urgent. Each domain includes several sub-areas with four capacity levels (ranging from limited to strong), accompanied by indicators and practical examples to guide scoring.
Organizations are encouraged to form small teams—including leadership, health staff, and community representatives—to discuss and agree on their current status. The Action Plan tab included with the tool helps users prioritize and record next steps, assign responsibilities, and plan improvements over time.
Looking Ahead
The Faith-Based Climate-Health Readiness & Adaptation Assessment is more than a worksheet—it’s a conversation starter and a capacity-building guide. It recognizes that every faith-based organization, regardless of size or resources, can take meaningful steps to prepare for and respond to climate-related health challenges.
By strengthening awareness and readiness, FBOs of all sizes can remain a steady presence of hope and healing in the face of a changing climate.
How Can You Get Involved?
CCIH is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, February 10 at 10:00 am EST to officially launch this tool, walk through some important features, and discuss the implications for FBOs. We’d love for you to join us by registering here.
Please also let us know if you utilize the tool. We would be grateful for any feedback. If you are interested in receiving updates on Faith4CRH’s work and joining the conversation on climate and health from a Christian perspective, please join CCIH’s new Google Group (listserv) by visiting https://groups.google.com/g/ccih-climate and selecting “Ask to join group.”
A Heartfelt Thank You and Acknowledgements
CCIH remains deeply grateful to the consortium members and CCIH partners who participated in review group discussions to revise the tool. Special thanks to the partners who pre-tested the tool and offered insights that strengthened its relevance and usability: Archbishop Mihayo University College of Tabora (AMUCTA), Christian Health Assistance Programme (CHAP), Faith Alive Foundation, and Unemployed and Vulnerable Foundation Trust (UVFT).
About the Author
Saara Dillard served as a Public Health Intern for CCIH during the summer of 2025 while completing her MPH in Global Health at Liberty University. She continued as a volunteer, assisting CCIH and the Faith4CRH consortium in developing the Faith-Based Climate-Health Readiness & Adaptation Assessment tool.
Saara is a public and global health professional with over 20 years of experience in grants management, health systems strengthening, and community-based program implementation. She has worked with the DC Health Department and the Ministry of Health and Social Services in Namibia to build institutional capacity, improve service delivery, and advance health equity. As a Climate Ambassador, Saara is passionate about community- and faith-informed action and advocates for collaborative solutions that connect environmental stewardship with public health outcomes.
One Comment
Benjamin Kashenye
on November 15, 2025 at 5:24 am
What a great initiative. Having such a tool that can guide and measure the readiness degree of LMICs could really help in improving knowledge, especially related to these climatic shift changes and challenges we are experiencing as they affect our livelihoods. I would definitely want to be a volunteer of some sort to help! Lovely!!🤗 Keep up the good work!